


Warriors

by dixonandgreene



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Gen, Implied/Referenced Suicide, No Romance, Suicide Attempt, The Prison (Walking Dead)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-14
Updated: 2016-02-14
Packaged: 2018-05-20 06:35:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5995120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dixonandgreene/pseuds/dixonandgreene
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Beth Greene is the strongest person Glenn Rhee has ever met. He tells her why.</p><p>Flashback/Outtake for my story "Flicker"!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Warriors

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger warning: implied suicide attempts and discussions about scars from said attempts - both physical and mental. Don't read if you're triggered by suicidal thoughts, actions, discussions, etc. Unless you can handle it but PLEASE be safe!

_"Behind this soft exterior lies a warrior."_

Warrior by Beth Crowley

* * *

 

"How'd ya get those marks on your wrists?" Were the only words that needed to come out of Ryan's mouth to make Beth gasp and immediately cover the now slightly faded scars on her wrists. It had been almost a year since she tried to kill herself in that bathroom, back on the farm. The simple reminder that they were there was enough to trigger her into a panic attack. Beth swallowed hard, placed her gun down, and looked over to Rick. 

"I need a break," she barely commented before darting off back to her cell inside the prison walls. Rick could tell something was wrong but before he could ask Glenn to take over, Glenn looked over to him, and decided he would handle it.

"Stay here, I got this one," Glenn stated, Rick nodded and continued to instruct the others on how to better aim their weapons. Glenn gave Beth just enough time before he headed for her cell block and right to her cell to check on her.

"Please, go away, Glenn." Beth called out, seeing his reflection in the mirror inside her cell. She looked up at him through the mirror and already he had a look of determination in his eyes. She knew she couldn't get him to leave now. There was no way.

Glenn moved to sit down on the edge of the bottom bunk. "Look, I get it, okay?" Glenn spoke softly as he looked down at Beth's bare wrists, taking note of the scar that still remained, and how it must've pained her to look at them. "You're not the only one, you know." Glenn confessed with a heavy sigh following his words; he had never told anyone about his past - except for Maggie. Maggie was the only other person that knew literally every detail about Glenn's life - the good, the bad, and the humiliating.  
"Of course I'm not but you really don't get it." Beth remarked, as she tried to choke back tears and Glenn gave her an empathetic look.

"No, I do. I...got to that point myself before the outbreak," Glenn began as he thought back on the day that he bought his first gun. "When my parents kicked me out of their home, I became this delinquent, and I started doing all these horrible things. I stole cars, I partied, I definitely wasn't someone your dad would approve of for Maggie," he added, furrowing his brow as his deep brown eyes locked on the gray concrete floor while he spoke. "I almost got caught by the police on grand theft charges - that was when I illegally bought a gun and went home to end it all." Glenn continued, swallowing as his mouth began to get dry during his explaination. 

"Then the first news bulletin about the virus broke, it distracted me long enough to put the gun down, and I decided that if I die in this world - like this, it would be easier. It would be easier to just - live through this - and see where it goes. I never expected to last this long, though." Glenn confessed quietly, admitting that he was basically trying to commit suicide by walkers until he realized he had a reason to live - which was saving Rick Grimes from that tank. "Then, well, things went to hell and I found Rick. The rest is kind of history at this point but I am glad I made it - I have Maggie, Hershel, you and the others. You all have been my reason for carrying on." Glenn concluded, Beth couldn't believe what she had heard but in a way she felt less alone hearing Glenn's personal story. 

"What's your point, though?" Beth asked, sounding more harsh than she should have in her tone of voice but Glenn didn't let it get to him. 

"I never exactly stopped my own mind set. Maggie became my first concern and now she's my main priority - she's who I'm living for," Glenn began to speak again and this time he locked eyes with the young blonde, "however, you - you're so much different." Glenn added, as he swallowed hard again. "You're differen't because you're the strongest person I know. You chose life, to live even if this is the end of the world, and you chose to carry on to fight this mess. You're a survivor and you shouldn't look at those scars to see someone weak; you chose to keep on living and that takes a very courageous soul. That's what you are." Glenn concluded, Beth looked down at her wrist and began to tear up while Glenn put his arms around her to pull her in for a hug.

"Thank you." She spoke softly against his chest. Maggie walked by to see what was going on, giving a small compassionate smile to Glenn as he comforted her sister, and he nodded - signaling that she would be okay. "For everything, Glenn. You're a great brother." Beth concluded.

"Just remember what I told you. You're strong, you're not weak, and you will survive whatever comes your way. No matter what, I know you'll make it out alive because that's who you are." Glenn nearly whispered as he pulled away to look at Beth while she wiped away tears.

"I believe you."


End file.
